The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-12-01
;. True, said Martini" emptying his sack

and beginning to look over the dispatches,
his interlocutor, meanwhile keeping ut
discreet distance, though he still managed
to throw a furtive look now and then.
over the postman's shoulders.
Suddenly there was furious uproar in
the corner of the room, and q shout from
his meddlesome neighbor: "Quick,
Father Martin, quick call off your dog
he's strangling mer'
Martin obeyed, and catching Kep,
whose fury contrasted strangely with his
habitual gentleness, by the skin of the
neck he dragged him to the chimney
corner and forced him to lie down.
All these little mishaps irritated Martin
greatly, and be was conscious as he re-
turned to his work of decided feeling of
dlstrust and repugnance toward this man,
who, whether consciously or not had been
the cause of them all. At this moment
the latter, as if to investigate the pro-
gress of the storm, went to the door and
opened it. A wild gust of wind and rain
swept into the apartment. scattering the
letters and papers that were spread upon
the table, and filling the place with a
cloud of mingled smoke and ashes
Martin uttered cry of anger.
Bah 2" said the one who had caused
the accident, "that is nothing; I'll pick
them all upin jiffy." And paying no at
tention to the command to :" let them
alone, as Martin preferred to attend to
his business, he began the pursuit of the
scattered packages But when they had
picked up all they could find the postman
after careful examination, still seemed
disturbed and troubled.
What's the matter? 90 said his com
panion, Do you miss any %
cant tell but it seems to me had
another letter.
" Nonsense; you couldn't have had it;
and If you did, you left'it at the Off &C."
" Possibly" said Martin to himself,
continuing to rummage and search be-
meath the furniture and in every conceiv-
able place that a letter could hide but
not finding anything he finally concluded
that his memory had played him false
for without seeming to do so, he had
watched his companion as he had gath
cred the letters together, and it really
seemed impossible that he could have
pocketed one without his seeing him.
Nevertheless, he bitterly regretted ever
having put his foot in the house, an in
stinctive adherence impossible to shake
off having seized upon him in regard to
this man, and besides it was contrary to
his usual principles and habits of discre-
tion which the postal service impresses
upon all its agents. "To keep at a dis
tance all who do not merit confidence"
In the meantime the storm had passed
away, and brilliant sun warmed and
lighted the landscape with it's cheerful
rays. AS the postman entered the ad-
joining village a woman rose from the
doorstep, where she had been awaiting
his arrival, ran to meet him She was
still young and pretty, though, at the
moment with look of worry and anxiety
clouding the brightness of her face
Martin, have you not p.
"No, Nine. Andre nothing for you
to day"
"But how strange that is p Nine An
Dire persisted. "My husband was to have
written me to day without fail. You
don't know how his silence troubles me-"
and she shivered andskurned so deathly
pale that Martin hurried her into the
house and placed her in chair by the
fire.
"You will surely receive a letter to-
morrow Nine. Andre" he said to her,
kindly. "The delay ola day is very rap
idlv explained Something unforeseen
has simply prevented it's reaching the
Office in time for the mail. There is no
need to worry yet"
a know all that, NJ. Martini" she re-
sponded nevertheless cannot under
stand his silence. You know of course
that he has been in the city for two
months past engaged on work that will
bring him in a great deal e money also
that he has received little heritage
which he intended to collect. That is all
arranged now, and he told me he would
write so that the letter would reach me
this morning to tell me that he himself
would be here by nightfall Tomorrow
the farm of La Mere is to be sold, and he
was to bid on it. 1t is an occasion that
will never come again. But would have
him miss it one, thousand times over
rather than have him come without ap-
prising me-
"But why, Nine. Andre? What differ
ence would it make %
"The difference that wicked designs
against him would always make. In the
night time bad deed is easily hidden,
and, as you know, NJ. Martin, there are
two roads by which you reach here-one,
though longer, is safe; but it is the other
one by the burning mill, that fear my
husband will take, particularly as there
i. neighbor whom he wishes to see on
that road -
"Well," began the postman, trying to
quiet her fears; bnt she refused to listen.
"You do not know why it is that l
tremble tor his safety" she continued,
but I will tell you. The road itself is
solitary and dangerous enough at all times,
and he will carry upon his person large
sum of money; besides there is a misera-
BILE wretch in this country who openly de-
clares his intention to put five feet of
earth between them at no distant day.
1t is feud that dates from the time when
was a young girl, and he wished to marry
me. held him in such horror, however,
that he has never forgiven me. 1t en-
RACES him to see us in comfort and ease,
while he lives in want and viciousfiess.
But this is not all a crime was once COM
mitted in the neighborhood, and sdspi-
cion pointed to him. If my husband but
said the word these suspicious would be-
come certainty, and this man be..sent to
the galleys. You see for yourself, NJ.
Martin, how dangerous it would be for
George to return by the Burned Mill